Aug. 14, 2008

FERRUM, Va. - The Virginia Sports Information Directors recently honored six George Mason student-athletes for their performances both in the classroom and in competition as the organization selected the 2007-08 VaSID Academic All-State Team. A total of 222 collegiate student-athletes in the state of Virginia were named to the team.

Representatives from George Mason included Becky Anderson, a sophomore pitcher on the softball team majoring in marketing; Steven Benecki, a sophomore on the men's swimming and diving team who has yet to declare his major; Maggie Bridges, a junior defender on the women's lacrosse team majoring in biology; Mark Burik, a senior outside hitter on the men's volleyball team majoring in exercise science; Sarah Fack, a senior midfielder/forward on the women's soccer team majoring in accounting; and Mutsa Nyakabau, a junior sprinter on the men's track and field team majoring in pre-medicine. Each of the Mason student-athletes selected to the team had a GPA of 3.76 or greater.

The 222 student-athletes represent the largest group the organization has honored with the awards. Each Virginia institution, including NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, and independents, had the opportunity to submit athletes to be honored. To be eligible, student-athletes were required to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better. The student must have achieved sophomore status, and he or she could not have been in the first season of competition at their current school. All athletes are either starters or key reserves for their team. The complete list of six George Mason student-athletes follows.

2008 Virginia Sports Information Directors Academic All-State Team
Name, Sport, Year, Position, Hometown, Major, GPA
George Mason University
Becky Anderson, softball, sophomore, pitcher, Oakton, Va. marketing, 3.88
Steven Benecki, men's swimming and diving, sophomore, freestyle, Fairfax, Va., undeclared, 3.92
Maggie Bridges, women's lacrosse, junior, defender, Fairfax, Va., biology, 3.93
Mark Burik, men's volleyball, senior, outside hitter, Glendale, N.Y., exercise science, 3.93
Sarah Fack, women's soccer, senior, midfielder/forward, Algonquin, Ill., accounting, 3.92
Mutsa Nyakabau, men's track and field, junior, sprints, Harare, Zimbabwe, pre-medicine, 3.76